The objective of this research proposal is the improvement of the care of burned patients. We feel that the most rational way to achieve this end is to focus our research efforts along three critical approaches directed towards understanding the underlying pathology of burn trauma. The overall approach is a coordinated multidisciplinary effort involving clinicians and basic scientists. The areas that have been identified for investigation are: 1) pulmonary-related topics, including a consideration of direct thermal damage and also several non-respiratory aspects of thermal injury; 2) an investigation of the hypermetabolic state involving endocrine considerations, intermediary metabolism, mitochondrial function, and protein metabolism; and 3) wound healing studies designed to investigate the role of the dermis and granulation tissue and the sequence of events in skin following thermal injury.